Counselled patients with stroke still experience sexual and relational problems 1-5 years after stroke rehabilitation

Abstract

To describe sexual functioning/satisfaction and relational satisfaction of patients with stroke who received sexual counselling during their rehabilitation 1-5 years thereafter. All adult patients with stroke admitted to one Dutch Rehabilitation Centre between January 2010 and January 2014 with at least two consultations with a sexologist were invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey study. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire on sexual functioning, relational satisfaction (Maudsley Marital Questionnaire, 0-80; low-high dissatisfaction), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) short-form12 (SF-12) mental and physical component scale (MCS and PCS; 0-100, low-high HRQoL) and mood Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS, 0-21 low-high depression/anxiety). Descriptive statistics were used for sexual functioning/satisfaction and relational satisfaction. Spearmans's correlation analysis (rs) analyzed the relationships between sexual satisfaction, relational satisfaction, PCS, MCS, depression and anxiety. Of 296 eligible patients, 62 (21%) completed the questionnaires. Mean age 55.4 (SD11.0) years, time-since-stroke 3.5 (SD3.6) years, 33 (53%) were male and 18 (29%) were single. Being sexually (very) unsatisfied was reported by 31 (54%) responders, with 63% being male and 44% female. Median MMQ-score relational satisfaction was 12.0 (IQR 4.25-23.25). A moderate correlation was present between sexual and relational satisfaction (rs = 0.35, p = 0.02). In male respondents relational satisfaction was highly correlated with lower levels of anxiety (rs = 0.54, p = 0.01) and depressive symptoms (rs = 0.71, p = 0.00). Patients with stroke who received sexual counselling during their rehabilitation treatment experience high relational satisfaction in the long term after stroke, despite their problems in sexual functioning.